The Liturgical Guide and Bulletin for Sunday, July 31, 2023

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July 31, 2023

 

8th Sunday of Matthew

 

 

                                                                                          

Silas, Silvan, Crescens, Epenetus and Andronicus the Apostles of the 70

 

 

 

Saint Silas was a companion and fellow labourer of the Apostle Paul: “And Paul chose Silas and departed…and he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches” (Acts 15:40-41). He later became Bishop of Corinth, and reposed in peace. Saint Silvanos became Bishop of Thessalonica, and also reposed in peace. Saint Crescents, whom Saint Paul mentions in his Second Epistle to Timothy(4:10), became Bishop of Chalcedon, and brought many to the Faith. As for him whom the Apostle of the Nations praises as “my well-beloved Epenetus, the first-fruits of Achaia unto Christ” (Roman 16:5), he became Bishop of Carthage, and after enduring many afflictions from the idolators, and bringing many of them to Christ, he departed to the Lord.

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Liturgical Guide

 

 

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Grave Mode
Κατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον…
Thou didst abolish death by Thy Cross; Thou didst open Paradise to the thief; Thou didst transform the myrrh-bearers’ lamentation, and didst bid Thine Apostles to preach that Thou art risen, O Christ God, granting great mercy to the world.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery

Apolytikion of St. Demetrios in the Third Mode
Μέγαν εύρατο εv τοίς κιvδύvοις …
Greatness has been found in danger.  You are champion of the world.  A victor who could turn the nations back.  You boldly encouraged Nestor to defeat Lyaeus in the arena.  Therefore, holy great martyr Demetrios, intercede with Christ our God, to grant us His great mercy.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Grave Mode
Επί τού όρους μετεμορφώθης…
You were transfigured upon the mount, O Christ our God, and Your disciples, in so far as they could bear, beheld Your glory. Thus, when they see You crucified, they may understand Your voluntary passion, and proclaim to the world that You are truly the effulgence of the Father.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press

Epistle Reading

 

 

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 28.11,1.
The Lord will give strength to his people.
Verse: Bring to the Lord, O sons of God, bring to the Lord honor and glory.

The reading is from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 1:10-17

Brethren, I appeal to you by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispos and Gaius; lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

 

Gospel Reading

 

The reading is from Matthew 14:14-22

At that time, Jesus saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.

 

Trisagion Prayer

 

Dimitrios Vlamis (9 years) survived by his family and grandchildren.

Panayiotis Dogatzis (4 years) survived by Afroditi Petropoulou.

 

 

 


Announcements

 

 

Gyro Night
Join us on Saturday, August 19 at 6:30pm for our annual Gyro night.  The meal is complimentary.

St. Demetrios Registration  2023-2024
Looking ahead to Registration for our programs, Stewardship of the individual or family (in the case of children) is mandatory.
Also, the Parental Covenant, Student Code of Conduct, Release of liability, and Release form and waiver are required.

 

 


 

GOYA News

August 12th. District GOYA Meet and Greet!!!!

GOYA District is having the first District GOYA Event of the new year at Season’s Clubhouse in Boca Raton. . .

Please RSVP to goya@stdemetrios.org  by August 4.

 

 


 

 


 

 


Thoughts on Stewardship

 

In the Gospel we read that Jesus told a rich young man that though he has kept the commandments, the one thing he must do to inherit eternal life is to sell all that he owns, distribute the money to the poor, and then come, and follow Him. Luke writes, “But when he heard this, he became sad; for he was very rich. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’”

It would be easy to misunderstand Jesus here and to assume that it’s impossible for a rich person to get into heaven. But Jesus was most likely making an example of this self-righteous young ruler. He is a sad example of a person who is convinced he is religious, but misses the whole point. He followed the letter of the law, yet he did not carry love in his heart.

St. Clement warns us not to interpret this passage to mean that wealth will keep us from the kingdom of heaven. He writes that it is the attitude of the soul that is important. It is the passion for wealth, not the wealth itself that condemns a man.

Our attitude toward possessions reveals our true god and master. This may be troubling to us when we feel that we have made God our master and have kept all the commandments – as did the rich young ruler. Christian stewardship of our souls and bodies is the offering of our entire self to God, attaching our desire to Him rather than to the world.

I challenge you to take a look at your checkbook and see exactly what your true priorities are. Do you commit more to the cable television service than you do to your Church? Do you pay more for your daily newspaper or to the cable company than you do to support the spreading of the Good News of Christ?

As Jesus told us, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Excerpt of Fr. James Kordaris’ sermon: Orthodox Christian Wealth and Stewardship
https://www.goarch.org/-/orthodox-christian-wealth-and-stewardship


 

Stewardship

Please fill out a year 2023 pledge form by clicking here https://stdemetrios.org/our-parish/stewardship/stewardship-form/  Or download this form, fill out both sides completely and return it to the office.  Thank you!

 


 


 

Calendar

 

Sunday               7/30          
8:30am/9:30am                  Orthros/Divine Liturgy
1:15pm                               Bible Study

         
Wednesday        8/2
6:00pm                              Paraklesis Service

Friday                 8/4
6:00pm                             Paraklesis Service

Saturday            8/5
10:00am                            HDF practice

Sunday               8/6          The Transfiguration            
8:30am/9:30am                  Orthros/Divine Liturgy
1:15pm                               Bible Study